Albuquerque

Albuquerque is the most populous city in the US state of New Mexico and the county seat of Bernalillo County. It was founded in 1706 as a Spanish colonial outpost, and it also became the sheep-herding center of the American West. The city later passed into the hands of Mexico and, following the Mexican-American War, the United States, and the Confederates briefly occupied Albuquerque in early 1862 during the American Civil War. The construction of a railroad in 1880 brought growth to the city, which developed a "New Town" in addition to its plaza-centered "Old Town". Many Anglo merchants, mountain men, and settlers gradually arrived in Albuquerque, creating a major mercantile commercial center. By 1900, Albuquerque had 8,000 inhabitants. New Mexico's dry climate also brought many tuberculosis patients to the state, and the establishment of military bases during the mid-20th century made the city a key player of the atomic age. During the 1960s and 1970s, many historic buildings were razed during the city's urban renewal phase, but, during the 2010s, many historic sites underwent renovations instead. In 2017, Albuquerque had a population of 558,545 people.